A.K.A. the DARK AGES

or Should It Be?

Unit 4The Birth of

New Ideas

Introduction

Germanic tribes destroyed the W. Roman

Empire

The 1st three centuries (500 – 800) are chaotic → too many Germanic tribes try to

gain power

When the Germanic tribes began to settle

down, the Franks became the dominant

group (Franks = French)

Germanic customs & Roman traditions began to

fuse together

Franks were the most powerful/important group in

W. Europe during the EMA (Early Middle Ages)

Frankish KingsClovis

• Converted to

Christianity

• Assured the

success of the

Roman Church

in Frankish lands

Charles Martel

• Defeated the Muslims at the

Battle of Tours

• Stopped the

• Muslims advance

into Europe

• Laid the foundation

of feudalism

Pepin III the

Short(Pippin the Younger)

• Donated land

to the Pope

• Creating the

foundations

for the Papal

States

Charlemagne

• Was crowned the

Emperor of the

Romans in 800 A.D.• Established the

foundation of the

Holy Roman Empire

InstitutionsFeudalism

• Accounted for the law & order

that existed at the local level

• Local rule in the absence of

central authority

POLITICAL SYSTEM

Manorialism

• Economy based on self-

sufficiency

• Local in the absence of

widespread trade

ECONOMIC SYSTEM

Church

• Most important system to the

people of the Middle Ages

• Established whatever unity

existed

• Acted as part of the…

SOCIAL, POLITICAL, & ECONOMIC

systems of the era

Common

Pasture

Woodland

Demesne- the land/crops

belonging to the Manor

Medieval Society

FeudalismPolitical System

• Based on Germanic customs

• mutual obligations

• fiefs awarded to vassals

• lords minted coins & made laws

• lords headed manors• lords protected people

ManorialismEconomic system

• Originated from Roman estates

(latifundia)

• serfs controlled the land

• property was shared

• lords headed manors• lords protected people

Feudal Structure

Provided local self-defense in the absence of strong rulers

with large armies

Structure of the system was based on land.

For military services, rulers gave land to nobles, who

earned an income from the land

In repayment, the nobles would arm knights and foot

soldiers to fight for the ruler.

Fief: a grant of land or an estate.

Lord: a ruler who grants a fief in return for military service.

Vassal: a person who receives a fief. The vassal, in return

owes the lord:

Knights and foot soldiers

Ransom money if the lord is captured in war

Housing / food for the lord & his knights when they visit the

vassal's fief

Homage: a vassal's oath of loyalty to a lord, often in

exchange for land.

Feudal Structure

Knight: a warrior who pledges loyalty to a lord, often in

exchange for land. Later in the Middle Ages, a knight

received training and lived by a code.

Levels of Knighthood

Page ~ (age 7-14) Serve the women of the manor; learn

manners; religion, reading and writing

Squire ~ (age 14-21) Serve the men and the knights; learn

hunting, hawking, chess, poetry, lute playing, care of horses

& equipment.

Knight ~ Serve God and the feudal lord (and/or king);

demonstrate skill with weapons; follow the chivalric code of

politeness, courage, honor, truthfulness, respect for women

and defeated enemies.

Peasant: a person who works the land.

Serf: a peasant of the lowest class, who is bound to the land

and cannot leave it.

Development

of Europe

during the Middle Ages

EnglandAlfred the Great: (871-899)

Conquered the Danish and re-established Anglo-Saxon law Part of England was his kingdom → his learned ways spread

throughout the island

Great scholar forced to become a soldier

After Danes were forced out, Alfred began…

re-educated priests & monks who had forgotten Latin The "Anglo-Saxon Chronicles" → great historical source

Sons & grandson continued to fight w/Danes until Edward the

Confessor seceded Canute the Dane (last of the Danes in England)

William the Conqueror: (Norman - cousin to Edward the Confessor)(1066-1087)

Claimed right to English throne, Edward had no sons Named himself king after defeating the Anglo-Saxons → Battle

of Hastings in 1066

Nobles chose Edward another nephew instead of William Altered feudal system in England

Made all nobles swear allegiance to him → going around

all lesser kings & nobles

Henry I: (4th son of William the Conqueror)

Created Office of Exchequer → handles kingdom's finances

Sent traveling judges to try cases.

Judges superceded the Lord's law

Made enforcement of the law more universal & consistent

Undermined the power of the Lords

Henry II: (Sons were Geoffrey (died early), John & Richard the Lionhart)

Married to Eleanor of Aquitaine (France) → doubling size of his

territory

Allowed nobles to pay him $$$ instead of sending knights

Hired knights himself

Knights owed allegiance/homage to Henry instead of lords

Later created a national army by requiring every freeman to

serve

Expanded power of circuit judges

Created juries to determine whether or not a case was tried

Sought to decrease church's authority → failed

3 sons fought over kingdom after his death

England Cont.

Eleanor of Aquitaine:

Bridged France & England's history → Married & divorced king of

France

Controlled Glascony, Aquitaine & other holdings on continent of

Europe

Married Henry II of England

territory could be inherited by sons → fought over these territories &

English holdings

John:

Forced nobles to pay high taxes → they considered unjust.

Forced him to sign Magna Carta (1215), a document that reduced

the power of the king

Great Council & Parliament:

Great Council was created when the nobles revolted against Henry

III in 1260

Knights & burgesses were represented

Later divided into 2 houses

House of Lords & House of Commons Key power → refusing to agree to new and special taxes

Later called Parliament

England Cont.

FranceClovis:

Last of the Merovian rulers

Converted to Christianity ensuring the spread of the

religion in Frankish lands

Charles Martel: (Charles "the Hammer”)

Defeated the Moors at the Battle of Tours → Halted

the spread of Islam into Europe

Moors were Muslims on the Iberian Peninsula

Pepin the Younger: (often known under the mistranslation Pippin the Short)

Crowned by the Pope

Gave land to the Church (Pope) which later

became part of the Papal States

Charlemagne: (Charles the Great) Renewer of the W. Empire

United much of Europe by forcing out the Avars & controlling

the Bavarians

Brought some stability to Europe

Strengthened the hold of the church

Crowned the Emperor on Christmas day 800 AD. Begins the Holy Roman Empire → never uses the title "Holy

Roman Emperor"

Built learning centers thru out Europe & encouraged learning

Ordered 4500 Saxon's beheaded after a Saxon uprising.

Grandson's -:- his empire after Charlemagne's son's death

Hugh Capet (1st of the Capetain Kings of France):

Chosen king after the last of the Carolingian kings die in 987.

Begins the Capetain dynasty in France (ends in the 14th cen.) Capetain kings set up 2 new gov’t depts →Chamber of

Accounts & Parliament of Paris

France Cont.

Holy Roman EmpireOtto I the Great :

1st Emperor of the New Holy Roman Empire, called himself

Holy Roman Emperor.

HRE’s were protectors of the church & controlled the

selection of the Pope

sets up a struggle b/tw Henry IV & Pope Gregory VII

whether or not a layman, someone outside the church, could appoint a Bishop→called lay investiture

later settled with the Concordat (binding agreement) of

Worms (city)

Frederick I: Tried to take the rich city-states in northern Italy→ caused the

formation of Lombard League Defensive league of N. Italian city-states→organized to

defeat Frederick

Pope Innocent III:

Led the papacy to the height of its power, dominating

almost all of Europe

The

Crusades

Successful Failures

1096 – 1290

Background Info

Crusade = Latin for cross & describes a holy war

“Good Christians” in the Medieval times often showed their

love for the Church by going on journeys to holy places.

Pilgrimages to Rome (Pope) or the Holy Land (Middle East)

Believers wanted spiritual blessings for making the trip.

During the EMA, Arabs were in control of the Holy Land.

(present-day Israel and Jordan)

Arabs were not Christian → allowed Christians on

pilgrimages to visit holy places

(Late 11th century) Seljuk Turks captured Jerusalem

Refused to give pilgrims access to religious sites

(1095) Pope Urban II asked Christians to do more than travel.

Christians - fight for their faith - start a “crusade.” (holy war)

Series of crusades were organized from 1096 – 1290 Goal → capture the land from the Seljuk Turks

The Crusades

Travel to the holy land was very difficult.

Many crusaders died before engaging in a battle.

The Crusaders were not successful in permanently

capturing the territory, but they spent almost 200

years trying.

By the year 1300 the Turks still controlled the holy land → Crusades had important effects on Europe:

1. Crusaders returned w/luxury products from the East → selling them was profitable (Trade promoted)

2. A merchant class developed to carry on trade. (not part of the feudal system)

3. Towns & cities grew out of trading fairs & centers

4. Merchants bought goods from traders → sold

the products to the growing # of townspeople

Crusades Cont.

5. Bankers exchanged money from one currency to another.

6. Shipbuilders were needed to create cargo ships for the

trade industry.

7. Europeans were exposed to new ideas.

They used Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3), which were more

efficient for calculation than Roman numerals (I, II, III).

8. Many nobles died.

Created the chance for serfs to escape to the growing

towns.

Stronger nobles began to seize land from the weaker

nobles or nobles that never returned from the Crusades.

The original purpose of the Crusades was not fulfilled, but

the holy wars did create great change.

Europe changed more during the 200 years of the Crusades

than it had changed during the 600 years before they began.

Successful Failures

Successes Failures• Military advances:

• Crossbow & new siege

tactics

• Trade began w/East

• Spices & cotton

• Towns & cities grew

• “Crusaders” lost

• Muslims kept control of the

Holy Land

• Many people died

BOTH

*Feudal system was weakened

(Good for some, Bad for others)

BIG WINNERS & LOSERS

WINNERS

• Kings gained power

• Merchants got rich

LOSERS

• Church lost power

• People lost faith

England

Louis

b. 1266 – d. 1276

Philip III

b. 1245 – d. 1285

King of France

1270 – 1285

Charles III

b. 1270 – d. 1325

Philip VI

b. 1293 – d. 1350

King of France

1328 – 1350Louis X

b. 1289 – d. 1316

King of France

1314 – 1316

Philip V

b. 1293 – d. 1322

King of France

1317 – 1322

Edward II

b. 1284 – d. 1327

King of England

1307 – 1327

Marguerite

b. 1288 – d. 1300

Isabelle

b. 1292 – d. 1358

Edward III

b. 1312 – d. 1377

King of England

1327 – 1377

Robert

b. 1297 – d. 1308

Charles IV

b. 1294 – d. 1328

King of France

1322 – 1328

Philip IV

b. 1268 – d. 1314

King of France

1285 – 1314

Background InfoThe Hundred Years War

(1337 → 1453) between &

The Hundred Years War were a series of…

Plundering raids, sieges & naval battles interspersed

w/truces & uneasy peace.

2 main causes of the Hundred Years War…

1. Centered on the relationship b/tw the Kings of &

regarding the duchy of Aquitaine located in SW

France.

1259, Treaty of Paris → held the duchy as a fief

of the

was a vassal of the

Required to pay liege homage to the king

was required to pay homage whenever the kingship of or changed

hands

Henry → King of England; how could a king be a vassal?

IrritationsEnglish were irritated by…

trading interests

support of the Scots against England

attempts to control Flanders & its wool

trade w/England

Provocation was not a one-way street.

were angered by the English…2. Due to King Edward III’s claim to the

1328, , died w/out a male heir

Edward III (King of England) held claim to the throne via his

mother (Isabelle) who was ' sister

Other claimant was Philip VI, grandson of Philip III,

1270-1285

Philip VI gained the throne

Moved to confiscate Aquitaine in order to consolidate his

power.

BattlesStarted in May 1337

King Philip VI attempted to confiscate

the English territories in the duchy of Aquitaine

(located SW France)

Edward led a raid into (1338) to

defend his claim

2 years later declared himself the true king of

France

From the beginning of the war (1337) until the battle

of Orleans (1428-29)…

English won many battles

Used new methods of warfare

Combining forces of long bowmen

w/dismounted men-at-arms w/success

Conclusion1429- Siege of Orleans

finally gained the upper hand

led a relief force & successfully

defeated English

Next 25 years → the English at

many engagements

Ended in July 1453

the English from the continent

(except for Calais) by force

Wars had become the consuming interests for 5

English & 5 monarchs

Drained the treasuries of both countries

Henry TudorElizabeth

of York

Both houses are descendants

of Edward III

WAR OF

THE ROSES

Lancaster York

Edward IV

1461-70

Henry VI

1422-61

Henry VI

1470-71

Edward IV

1471-83

Edward V

1483

Richard III

1483-85

War of the

Roses

English Throne

Introduction Quarrel b/tw the families of York & Lancaster

Over the right to occupy the English throne

Series of cruel civil wars in England (1455 to 1485)

The emblem of… House of York → white rose

House of Lancaster → red rose

Major causes of the conflict include:

1. Both houses were direct descendants of king

Edward III

2. The ruling Lancastrian king, Henry VI, surrounded

himself w/unpopular nobles

3. Civil unrest of much of the population

4. Availability of many powerful lords with their own

private armies

5. Episodes of mental illness by king Henry VI

Families of York & Lancaster descended from Edward III

Yorks- better claim to the throne than the

LancastriansPassed over (1399) when Richard II was deposed

(removed from office or position of power)

Yorks would not have won backing later if it had not been

for…

the failure of the English armies in the 100 Years War

the mental and physical weakness of King Henry VI

the excessive taxation and misrule at home

Background Info

Richard of York …

Planned to take the gov’t from

incapable persons & secure it for

himself.

Later his ambition was to seize the

crown.

Real head of the kingdom - Queen Margaret

(Lancastrian)

Young & beautiful French woman who

resisted attempts to…

Dethrone her husband, Henry VI

Disinherit her son, Edward

Background Info Cont.

Struggle Begins

Richard of York won at St. Albans in 1455 & secured

control of the govt.

Richard was killed by the forces of Queen Margaret

at Wakefield in 1460.

Richard’s son Edward, w/the Earl of Warwick's

(“Kingmaker”) help became king as Edward IV

Henry VI was imprisoned.

Here is where it all changes…

Warwick (Kingmaker/Richard Neville) quarreled w/Edward IV

Helped Queen Margaret drive Edward from

England

Restored Henry VI to the throne in 1470

TRAITOR

Edward returned to England

Warwick was killed in battle

King Henry's son was murdered

Queen Margaret's forces were destroyed &

she was captured

Several Lancastrians were executed

Edward IV reentered London

Seized the throne again

Henry VI was assassinated

Ends the 1st period of the struggle

Struggle Cont.

14 years later war broke out again…

Henry Tudor (last Lancastrian)defeated &

killed Richard III (last Yorkist king)

Became King Henry VII → ending the Wars

of the Roses

The following year Henry married Elizabeth of

York, the daughter of Edward IV.

White & red roses united in the rose of the

Tudors, emblem of a new line of English

kings.

Conclusion

The Wars of the Roses

Broke the feudal power of the nobles

Marked the end of the Middle Ages in England.

Many of the ruling nobles had been slain during the wars & their estates → by the Crown

Results of the War of the Roses

Lawlessness had torn England since the 100 Yrs War

Grew worse during the Wars of the Roses

Not enough able leaders remained to maintain

law and order

People longed for a strong gov’t (peace & prosperity)

Henry VII seized the opportunity to

Reestablish the royal power

Launch policies that marked the beginning of

modern England

Results

Politics of the

Late Middle

Ages

Look in your packet for the printed notes.

Centralized Nation-states

Centralized Nation-states

Unified Feudal States

EMA vs. LMA

Classification Chart